Tamperproof gate keeper



June 5, 1956 E. H. KITZELMAN TAMPERPROOF GATE KEEPER Filed April 2, 1954 FIG. 2

INVENTOR EDWARD H. KITZELMAN BY hu flm a,

ATTORNEYS TAMPERPROOF GATE KEEPER Edward H. Kitzelman, Chicago, 111., assignor to Acorn Iron and Wire Works, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois V Application April 2, 1954, Serial No. 420,487

3 Claims. (sun-121 This invention relates to keepers for latch'bolts and more particularly relates to a tamperproof keeper adapted for sliding gates and the like although not limited to such uses.

A principal object of my invention is to provide a novel and improved form of keeper for sliding gates and the line, which not only protects thelatch bolt against picking but also cooperates with the sliding gate member to form a support therefor, when the gate is closed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a keeper particularly adapted for sliding gates and the like, so

arranged as to completely enclose and protect thelatchbolt against picking when 'the gate is closed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a keeper and a cooperating latch and support structure for sliding gates, protecting the latch bolt against picking and also preventing the sliding gate from sagging when the gate is closed.

Another object of my invention is to. provide a tamperproof keeper for a vertically movable latch bolt and so constructed as to be adapted for left-hand as well as right-hand opening closure members.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a simple and rugged form of gate keeper for cooperation with a vertically movable latch bolt so constructed and arranged as to protect the latch against tampering and to be capable of being cast from iron, steel and the like.

These and other objects of my invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings where- Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a wire mesh partition and cooperating sliding gate, showing one form in which my invention may be embodied; and

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along line 22 of Figure 1.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawing, I have shown a wire mesh partition 10 and a cooperating sliding gate 11. The partition may be a wellknown form of wire mesh partition having an end post in the form of an outwardly opening channel 12, closed by end closure plates 13 and 14 extending along said channel on opposite sides of a recessed face plate 15 of a lock 16.

The lock 16 is herein shown as being a cylinder type of lock contained within a lock casing 17, suitably mounted on the partition 10 and no part of my present invention, so only herein shown and described insofar as is necessary to make my present invention readily understandable. The lock 16 is shown as having a lock bolt 19 projecting therefrom through a slot 20 in the web of the channel 12 and a registering slot 21 in a recessed portion 22 of the face plate 15.

The latch bolt may be suitably pivoted within the lock casing 17 and may be biased in the upwardly projected position shown in Figure l by a spring (not shown),

and may be depressed against the bias of the spring by operation of a key cylinder 22 in any well known manner, and not herein shown since'it forms no part of my present invention. ing an upwardly and rearwardly sloping strike surface 23 sloping upwardly and rearwardly from the outer end thereof in the forrnof a uniform curve, and terminating into a vertical kee er engaging surface 24, forming a downward 'continuation of thestrike surface 23, andadapted to engage behind a keeper flange 25 of a keeper" 26 when the gate is locked.

Thekeeper '26 is shown as being mounted on and extending along an end post 27- of the gate 11, shown as being formed-from facing channels "29, 29 welded or otherwise secured together;

"The-keeper'26 has a flange 30 extendingalon'g the width of the web of outer channel 29 andfacingthe partition-10 and bolted or otherwise secured to saidchan nel; "The flange 30 is shown as terminating into a'wall 31 of the keeper extending along the legs'of the abutting channels 29, -29 and terminating'into a'rear end wall 32 extending at rightangles to the wall 31-, and out wardly therefrom. A wall 3310f the keeper, parallel to the wall 31, forms a right angledcontinuationof the rear end wall 32 and the inner margins of the walls 31,

32' and 33 form a recess forr'eceiving the face plate 15 and the post 12 when the door is locked.

'The face plate 15 is shown as having outwardly projecting' transversely extending ribs 35, 35 at its upper:

tively prevent the-insertion of an instrument between" the walls '31 and 33 fo'r'the purpose of tampering with the lock. The lower rib 35 may also engage the under surface of the rear wall 32 and form a support for the keeper 26 and gate when the gate is closed, and thus hold the gate from sagging when locked.

The rear wall 32 of the keeper 26 is shown as having a recess 36 formed therein, the outer wall of which projects beyond said rear wall in the form of a projection 37, in the general form of the sector of a cylinder.

The recess 36 is shown as having an arcuate wall 39, parallel side walls 46, 40 extending outwardly from the inner face of the rear wall 32 in the space between the parallel spaced side walls 31 and 33. The wall 39 extends outwardly from the wall 32 toward the latch bolt and terminates into opposite end walls 41, 41 of the recess, the upper of which walls terminates in the inwardly extending keeper flange 25, and the lower of which walls terminates into an upwardly extending flange 43 exactly like the flange 25, and serving as a keeper flange when the keeper is used on a left hand opening gate.

When the gate is closed, the post 27 will slide along the post 12 and lap the same. At the same time, the walls 31 and 32 will move along opposite sides of the face plate 15 and opposite legs of the post 12, while the latch bolt 19 will strike the advance face of the keeper flange 25 to depress said latch bolt into position to engage the keeper surface of said latch bolt, with the keeper engaging face 24 thereof. When the gate is completely closed the walls 40, 40 are recessed within the recess 22 of the face plate 15 while said face plate and post 12 are recessed between the side walls 31 and 33, the ribs 35, 35 extending along the upper and lower ends of the back wall 32 of the keeper.

It may thus be seen that when the gate is closed, that the latch bolt 33 is enclosed by the walls 39, 40 and 41 of the recess 36, and that since the side walls 31 and 33 extend along opposite sides of the face plate 15 and the post 12 and the ribs 35, 35 extend along the Patented June 5 The lock 'bolt 19"is'shown a's'h'av upper and lower sides of the back wall 32 that the entire lock structure is completely enclosed when the gate is locked, with the result that the latch bolt is completely protected from access by a tool, a wire or like instrument.

It may further be seen that the lock and keeper structure are of a rugged construction and with the cooperating face plate 15 form a support for the gate and prevent sagging thereof.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected in the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts there of.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a tamperproof keeper structure adapted for cooperation with a latch casing and a vertically movable latch bolt on a cooperating support therefor, a keeper body having parallel spaced side walls open toward the support and latch bolt, a back wall connecting said side walls together and having an inwardly extending wall defining a recessed portion for receiving the latch bolt, said recessed portion in said back wall having parallel spaced inner side walls extending outwardly from said back wall in the space between the side walls of said body and spaced inwardly therefrom to receive the latch casing in the space therebetween, and a keeper surface in the space between said inner side walls, and spaced outwardly from said back wall and having an outer strike surface and an inner transverse keeper surface recessed within the side walls of said keeper body and spaced sufficiently in advance of said back wall to accommodate the latch casing to have engagement therewith when the latch bolt engages the keeper surface.

2. In a tamperproof keeper structure adapted for cooperation with a latch casing on a cooperating sliding support therefor, a keeper body having side walls opening toward the support and latch bolt and having a back wall connecting said side walls together, said back wall having a recess therein for receiving the latch bolt, said recess having inner side walls extending outwardly from said back wall toward the open portion of said body and spaced inwardly from said side walls to receive the latch casing in the space therebetween, and a keeper flange in the space between said inner side walls recessed within the side walls of said keeper body and spaced sufficiently inwardly of the outer ends of said side walls to accommodate the latch casing to engage in the space between said side walls and said inner walls when the latch is latched.

3. In a tamperproof keeper structure adapted for cooperation with a latch casing on a cooperating sliding support therefor, a keeper body having side walls opening toward the support and latch casing, a back wall connecting said side walls together, said back wall having a recess therein for receiving the latch bolt, said recess having inner side walls extending outwardly from said body toward the open portion of said body and spaced inwardly of said side walls to receive the latch casing in the space therebetween, and vertically spaced keeper flanges connecting said inner side walls together, each having an outer strike surface and an inner transverse keeper surface recessed within the side walls of said keeper body and spaced a distance sufficient to accommodate the latch casing to engage in the spaces between said inner side walls and said side walls when the latch is latched and being concentrically arranged with respect to the transverse center of the keeper to accommodate the keeper for right and left-hand sliding supports.

Taillefer Dec. 5, 1922 Tyfe June 11, 1940 

